# US 12,224,161 B2 · Low temperature manifold assembly for substrate processing systems

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- Number: US 12,224,161 B2
- Document ID: US12224161B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/013,699
- Filed: 2022-05-05
- Published: 2023-11-02
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2021-05-19
- Assignees: Lam Research Corporation
- Applicants: Lam Research Corporation
- Inventors: Gabriel De Jesus Soto
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12224161B2

## CPC

- H01J 37/32522: {Temperature}
- C23C 16/463: {Cooling of the substrate}
- H01J 37/32724: {Temperature}
- H01J 37/32889: {Connection or combination with other apparatus}
- H10P 72/0421: {for drying etching}
- H10P 72/0432: {mainly by conduction}
- H10P 72/72: using electrostatic chucks
- H10P 72/722: {Details of electrostatic chucks}
- H01J 2237/002: Cooling arrangements
- H01J 2237/2001: Maintaining constant desired temperature
- H01J 2237/334: Etching
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

A manifold assembly for a processing chamber in a substrate processing system includes a manifold. The manifold includes a first valve assembly configured to flow a liquid coolant at a first temperature from a first channel of a coolant assembly to the processing chamber. The first valve assembly is configured to flow the liquid coolant at a cryogenic temperature. The manifold further includes a first weldment block including tubing associated with the first valve assembly, a second valve assembly configured to flow the liquid coolant at a second temperature greater than the first temperature from a second channel of the coolant assembly to the processing chamber, and a second weldment block including tubing associated with the second valve assembly. An insulative housing enclosing the first valve assembly, the first weldment block, and the second weldment block. The insulative housing is comprised of a plurality of layers of an insulative material.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A manifold assembly for a processing chamber in a substrate processing system, the manifold assembly comprising:
a manifold including
a first valve assembly configured to flow a liquid coolant at a first temperature from a first channel of a coolant assembly to the processing chamber, wherein the first valve assembly is configured to flow the liquid coolant at a cryogenic temperature;
a first weldment block including tubing associated with the first valve assembly,
a second valve assembly configured to flow the liquid coolant at a second temperature from a second channel of the coolant assembly to the processing chamber, wherein the second temperature is greater than the first temperature, and
a second weldment block including tubing associated with the second valve assembly; and
an insulative housing enclosing the first valve assembly, the first weldment block, and the second weldment block,
wherein the insulative housing is comprised of a plurality of layers of an insulative material.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The manifold assembly of claim 1, wherein (i) the first valve assembly includes a cold supply valve arranged to supply the liquid coolant to the processing chamber, a cold return valve configured to receive the liquid coolant from the processing chamber, and a cold bypass valve in fluid communication with an inlet of the cold supply valve and an outlet of the cold return valve, and (ii) the second valve assembly includes a hot supply valve arranged to supply the liquid coolant to the processing chamber, a hot return valve configured to receive the liquid coolant from the processing chamber, and a hot bypass valve in fluid communication with an inlet of the hot supply valve and an outlet of the hot return valve.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The manifold assembly of claim 1, further comprising a first supply tube arranged to supply the liquid coolant from the coolant assembly to the first valve assembly, a first return tube arranged to supply the liquid coolant from the first valve assembly to the coolant assembly, a second supply tube arranged to supply the liquid coolant from the coolant assembly to the second valve assembly, and a second return tube arranged to supply the liquid coolant from the second valve assembly to the coolant assembly.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The manifold assembly of claim 3, wherein the first supply tube, the first return tube, the second supply tube, and the second return tube are enclosed in conformal insulation comprised of a plurality of layers of the insulative material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The manifold assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of layers of the insulative material alternate with a plurality of layers of a vapor barrier.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The manifold assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of layers of the insulative material has a thickness of less than or equal to 10 mm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The manifold assembly of claim 1, wherein the insulative housing includes an extension that encloses the first valve assembly but does not enclose the second valve assembly.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The manifold assembly of claim 7, wherein the extension includes a cavity at least one of between and around valves of the first valve assembly.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The manifold assembly of claim 8, wherein the extension includes a purge inlet and a purge outlet in fluid communication with the cavity.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

A system comprising the manifold assembly of claim 9 and further comprising a purge assembly in communication with the purge inlet.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the purge assembly is configured to selectively purge condensation from surfaces of the first valve assembly.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A substrate processing system comprising the manifold assembly of claim 1 and further comprising a substrate support including a coolant channel in fluid communication with the manifold assembly.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the cryogenic temperature is at or below −60° C. and the insulative material has a thermal conductivity of less than 14 mW/m-K at −60° C.

### Claim 14

A temperature control system for a processing chamber configured to perform cryogenic etching, the temperature control system comprising:
a coolant assembly configured to (i) provide liquid coolant at a first temperature via a first channel and (ii) provide liquid coolant at a second temperature via a second channel; and
a manifold assembly comprising
a first supply valve configured to supply the liquid coolant from the first channel to the processing chamber at the first temperature, wherein the first temperature is a cryogenic temperature,
a first return valve configured to return the liquid coolant from the processing chamber to the coolant assembly via the first channel,
a second supply valve configured to supply the liquid coolant from the second channel to the processing chamber at the second temperature, wherein the second temperature is greater than the first temperature, and
a second return valve configured to return the liquid coolant from the processing chamber to the coolant assembly via the second channel.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The temperature control system of claim 14, wherein the cryogenic temperature is at or below −60° C., the temperature control system further comprising an insulative housing enclosing the first supply valve and the first return valve, wherein the insulative housing is comprised of a plurality of layers of an insulative material having a thermal conductivity of less than 14 mW/m-K at −60° C.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The temperature control system of claim 15, wherein the insulative housing includes a plurality of layers of a vapor barrier alternating with the plurality of layers of the insulative material.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The temperature control system of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of layers of the insulative material has a thickness of less than or equal to 10 mm.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The temperature control system of claim 15, further comprising:
a first supply tube arranged to supply the liquid coolant from the coolant assembly to the first supply valve;
a first return tube arranged to return the liquid coolant from the first return valve to the coolant assembly;
a second supply tube arranged to supply the liquid coolant from the coolant assembly to the second supply valve; and
a second return tube arranged to return the liquid coolant from the second return valve to the coolant assembly,
wherein the first supply tube, the first return tube, the second supply tube, and the second return tube are enclosed in conformal insulation comprised of a plurality of layers of the insulative material.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The temperature control system of claim 15, wherein the insulative housing includes a cavity defined at least one of between and around the first supply valve and the first return valve.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The temperature control system of claim 19, further comprising:
a purge assembly in fluid communication with the cavity via a purge inlet in the insulative housing, wherein the purge assembly is configured to purge condensation from surfaces of first supply valve and the first return valve.

### Claim 21 (depends on 14)

The temperature control system of claim 14, further comprising:
a first bypass valve in fluid communication with an inlet of the first supply valve and an outlet of the first return valve; and
a second bypass valve in fluid communication with an inlet of the second supply valve and an outlet of the second return valve.